Real-Time Updates From New Orleans City Council Emergency Meeting On Crime
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Note: Substack is glitchy today with posting photographs.
The BEC is watching closely and we will be providing updates on any news of merit from this morning’s City Council meeting.
(Note: so as not to deluge your email inbox, we will NOT send each update out with a separate email. Instead, we’re sending one now and ask that you please check in with The BEC as you like.)
We will note before the meeting begins that very little on the list of resolutions will have much impact on crime in New Orleans… that’s our judgement and we could be wrong, but informing the public about stolen firearms seems useless, requiring an attendant at a parking lot will likely get that attendant shot, and “developing a violence intervention model… using community-driven, evidence-based interventions” actually is a pile of meaningless words.
We are not hopeful.
Meeting to begin at 9:00….
Stay tuned as more will be added here in the coming hours….
9:21 and still getting things started in the chambers…
Jeff Asher of AH Datalytics is offering some data about crime. One key point is that about 1,000 guns were stolen during vehicle burglary last year. It cannot be overstated that guns must stay secured and cannot/should not be left in vehicles.
From 10 auto thefts per day to 20 - 30 auto thefts per day recently, especially tied to the KIA and Hundae thefts (because of the well-known fact they can easily be started without a key)
NOPD has dropped from 1510 to 929 officers. And 17 detectives have been assigned +10 cases, though typically a detective would handle about 4 cases per year. This is swamping detectives and creates ineffectiveness.
“The likelihood of swift arrest is the greatest deterrence.” Jeff Asher.
It’s very possible gun theft is being underreported and undercounted, so well more than 1,000 guns hitting the streets.
Mr Asher points out the new crime data dashboards available for public viewing: https://council.nola.gov/dashboards/
It was pointed out that New Orleans has, at times, experienced murder not only at a higher rate but at an actual higher number of incidents.
At least twice now, members of the audience are shouting questions. People are FRUSTRATED at this meeting, clearly.
1 in 5 vehicle thefts results in a gun being stolen and then into the hands of street criminals.
“No daddy at home” and the government has “set us up” with “a Catch-22” … if you really want to address the problem you have to create real opportunity… “if you create chaos in the house, the children are going to be F’d up. Everybody knows what the problem is. The CIA has been distributing cocaine into the communities.” “It’s a bunch of BS. Think about it.” …. this from a member of the audience who broke protocol and stood at the microphone and angrily spoke to the City Council. There seems to be very little control in the room. 10:04 am.
At 10:11 the meeting is moving into public comment after the first agenda item, that being the data presentation from Jeff Asher….
— A self-identified physicist says he has been overburdened with 66 students in the classroom. We’re surmising he’s suggesting that education issues contribute to crime.
— More public comment, as a gentleman is emphasizing that “we are not setting the example for these kids, and it’s hypocritical. Kids are crying out for our affection and need our help.” “Everything that is occurring is by design.” He’s making the point that very little of government budget is dedicated to family support, but instead goes to police departments. “The kids don’t have nothing to do.” “These young black kids need our help.” “The system has caused this and the system needs to fix this.” Locking kids up is not the answer.
— A lot of yelling about “smoke and mirrors” and being a black man. People are ANGRY. But nothing of substance that might reduce crime in New Orleans.
— It seems like as much time is being wasted in keeping things organized regarding yellow comment cards as the time dedicated to crime resolution ideas.
10:30 and literally NOTHING has happened at this meeting that should cause anyone to feel a shred of confidence that the City Council is a working body of serious people who care about the people of the City of New Orleans.
“Circus” comes to mind. “Pointless waste of time” comes to mind. “Disastrous worry” comes to mind.
— 10:41 and an audience member is objecting to the anonymity of juveniles who commit felonies. This is, at least, an IDEA and a statement of some potential effectiveness. “One thing the kids know is JP don’t play” meaning in Jefferson Parish the young people know there will be consequences, but in Orleans Parish there are no consequences. And the criminals know it.
As of 11:00 and the only confidence one can feel from watching this meeting is the certain confidence that the City Council will be doing NOTHING to benefit the people of New Orleans.
Malcolm Suber is about to speak. This Marxist-Maoist should have something quite interesting to say….. Good Lord…
— Suber is speaking. “A long-time revolutionary” who claims the police department is doing what it’s organized to do, which is to oppress poor people. Educate kids should have access to good jobs. “The real conditions that create criminals”…. from a Marxist-Maoist, this should be rich!
Spend money on the recreation department and not the police department “and we’ll get ahold of it,” the crime that thrives in the “racist, capitalist society” we live in.
[A reminder that Malcolm Suber headed up “Take ‘em Down NOLA.”]
— Another speaker is connecting “living wages” and the price of eggs with the causes of crime. Because “children need to eat.” Though to her credit she did just pose a meaningful question to the Council: “We had $72 billion come to this city after Hurricane Katrina. Where did that money go?”
Two hours into this meeting and I am MORE CONCERNED about crime in New Orleans than when this circus began.
Forgive the bec…. I’ll do my best, but these are hours of my life I will wish that I had back.
“I’m not from NOLA, I’m from New Orleans” says a Dr Wyatt, with a PhD in Education who is unemployed. (I agree with her about the NOLA thing, by the way.) She’s saying that “children are fighting with guns because you don’t let them know they matter,” she pleads. Now yelling about how she has to “beg you to work!” while she has a PhD in Education.
What an absolute disaster, this meeting. A cruel terrible evil circus, and this messy shit-show in City Council chambers while people are dying on our streets.
11:45 and we’ve devolved into “garbage pickup”
Forgive me, everyone, but these are hours of my life I’ll never get back. I don’t know what capacity I have to continue watching this mess….
Someone now complaining that his 100 pound wife shouldn’t have been arrested.
“Corruption in charter schools” now.
This city is lost.
12:38 pm
Three Hours Plus…
We wish we could report something more uplifting to you all.
There’s a hint that online comments are about to be read into the record. We’ll see if The BEC’s comment will be read out loud. We’ll let you know.
12:50 pm
Helena Moreno prepared a video, as she is home because of a positive covid test. Though she proposes a lot of ‘more of the same’ she did take it to the source: absent fathers. Yes, she could have gone further in her proposals, but it’s a start, and a better start than heard yet today.
Good job on that, Helena Moreno….
1:00 pm
Now to Dr. Avengo…. discussing crime as a public health problems. Let’s see what sort of solutions she’ll propose.
Meh! Avegno just wants programs and more programs and funding for programs.
1:21 pm
“Black men and boys” spoken for the first time in the chamber. Avegno replies to a question from the dais about how the city is reaching out to black men and boys. The council member noted that “it’s not trendy to talk about black men and boys,” it should be noted. Councilman Thomas….
“There’s a social group we talk about on the fringes…. we usually celebrate and acknowledge what they do wrong… we acknowledge this group based on violence.
Thomas brought up a Brookings Institute report that identified racism as specifically targeting black men and boys, and he seems unclear about a significant question: Are black men and boys suffering because they’re primary victims of racism? Or are black men and boys most likely to be both victim and perpetrators of crime?
But we continue…
Avegno responded that the health department is studying who makes contact with young black men, who knows them, understands them, speaks to and influences them? Can 1,000 people be trained to spot the warning signs? This group needs resources.
We feel the sincerity and genuine concern from these well-intentioned people, but something still seems off here… If ‘racism’ is still the problem, and not ‘absent fathers’ then none of this gets solved.
So while we credit Thomas and Avegno we’re not really sure if they’re not preaching more of the same, and missing the target. Yes, black men and boys are the key to all this, but it has to be emphasized that black men and boys themselves have to solve this; additional government programs that do anything but enthusiastically affirm fatherhood, especially in urban black culture, are misdirected.
Every aspect of local governance should take on “FATHERHOOD” as their guiding mission. Policy, spending, and action in all regards should target fatherhood and changing attitudes about ‘baby mama’ culture.
We’re just being honest here. It’s unavoidable.
The crime problem gets solved one family at a time, with a father as head of household who takes responsibility for his family.
But back to Avegno:
“Being shot is the highest risk factor for you getting shot again,” said Avegno, as she said that the first population group to be targeted for help are black men and boys.
Thomas continued: Black boys feel they’re unloved. No other group has fared so badly and so consistently for so long. Sounds like a group that needs love and attention and resources. If we don’t begin to do that, we’re not going to impact this. That’s the group that we’re here for, that this whole meeting is about.”
“Agree” said Avegno.
1:50 pm
Reading online comments for the first motion. They’ll read online comments after each motion is read into the record.
1:57 pm
VOTING now on the motions listed below ….
Motion 1 passed.
Motion 2 passed.
Others were deferred and/or moved to the Criminal Justice Committee.
Before voting on Motion 3, Councilman Thomas speaks to two-parent homes… He is reviewing the percent of black families throughout history that had a mother an father in the home.
“In 1890, 84% of our households had a male and female head of household. During the Great Depression it was 81% of our households. Today only 36%.”
Councilman Thomas
The answer is right in front of you, City Council. That’s the answer!!!!
2:30 pm
Statement being made about the Violent Crime Task Force brought together last week by Mayor Cantrell.
We were unimpressed when we heard about this Task Force, so we listen with interest for the substance and good that might result from the effort.
The meeting dragged on to a grueling 6 and a half hours. And included an update on the search for police chief… not much to report, really.
The BEC will be writing about today’s meeting this evening.